Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

The Galleria Al Maryah Island surpassed expectations with exceptional performance in 2022 establishing new annual records including a 17% rise in sales and a 10% rise in footfall versus the previous year – reinforcing its positioning as the premier lifestyle and shopping destination in Abu Dhabi.The Galleria attracted more than 34 million guests and welcomed 76 new stores and concepts to its collection in 2022. Featuring a dynamic mix of experiences, the new tenants include fitness brands Barry’s and TRAIN, luxury concepts Bally, Breitling, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piquet, fine dining restaurants such as Asador de Aranda, and entertainment concepts like Pop In & Play among others.
By continually elevating the guest experience, The Galleria saw consistent growth throughout the year and achieved multiple record-breaking footfall and sales months, which culminated in the busiest month for the destination to date in December. This steady growth trajectory is a testament to The Galleria’s comprehensive offering, which provides guests with exceptional experiences across categories, and has established it as the community’s destination of choice in the capital. 

Commenting on these achievements, David Robinson, CEO of Al Maryah Retail Company, said; “We are very proud of the experiences we offer the community. The team at Al Maryah Retail Company have done an excellent job of elevating these even further over the past 12 months and more, and this is reflected in the outstanding results achieved in 2022. This exceptional performance is a result of our continuous efforts to provide bespoke market-leading offerings at The Galleria. We continue to attract internationally renowned brands and introduce exclusive concepts to the market, while many of our long-standing brands are reinvesting in the destination to ensure they continue to attract guests with a fresh modern offer.
ADVERTISEMENTOver the coming months more industry-leading brands will call The Galleria home, further expanding and diversifying our offering across shopping, dining and entertainment. The fact that we continue to attract such strong global names and industry game-changers to Abu Dhabi is a testament to The Galleria’s established position as a market leader, and its continued growth and success.”

As an industry leader, The Galleria will continue to drive the region’s fashion, dining and entertainment with the launch of several highly anticipated and exclusive concepts including luxury fashion icon Hermès, a first to market concept by Mattel, waterfront dining venues Flamingo Room, Craft by Side Hustle and more.

In addition to introducing exclusive concepts, The Galleria aims to enhance guests’ experiences in 2023 through complimentary community programmes such as yoga and Let’s Walk, leisure spaces including rooftop parks, and a full calendar of seasonal and community events, providing a free and easy way for people to connect, spend time together and live a healthier lifestyle.

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The original icon of the rails, Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train, Europe, unveils four new winter journeys between Paris and the French Alps. Launching in December 2023, the blue-and-gold carriages will glide through some of France’s most untouched countryside and up to the alpine train stations of Albertville, Moûtiers and Bourg-Saint-Maurice.With the option to disembark in either of the three stations, guests will be able to access the ski resorts of Megève and the Mont Blanc; Courchevel and Three Valleys; and Tignes-Val d’Isère in the most glamorous way possible.
ONE TRAIN, ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
One of the original birthplaces of luxury winter tourism, the French Alps are internationally regarded as the gold standard of ski destinations, with their picture-perfect peaks, slopes catering to all competency levels, Michelin starred restaurants, and alpine chic bars.
From December 2023, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express will welcome keen skiers, mountain enthusiasts and epicureans on board for its Alpine debut. With eight new Suites joining the rake in June 2023, next winter the train will offer a trio of cabin categories to suit every traveller: the timeless Historic Cabins, lavish new Suites and opulent Grand Suites. Departing from Paris in the evening, guests can unwind into the warmth of their art-deco surroundings with a glass of champagne, as the train gently heads out to the Alps. Shortly after departure, guests are invited to pay a visit to the beating heart of the train, Bar Car ‘3674’, for a round of cocktails while the pianist plays in the background. Bon vivants are then drawn to the three dining cars, where they will be treated to a menu of seasonal dishes designed by French Chef Jean Imbert using the finest local produce. Suspended between past and present, guests can return to the Bar Car for a nightcap with fellow travellers, or retreat to their cabins which have been carefully transformed by their steward for night time. The following morning, they wake to the enchanted scenery of the Savoie region and indulge in a breakfast of French viennoiserie, in the privacy of their cabins. To refuel before an afternoon of skiing and alpine activities, a delicious brunch will be served in the dining cars before the train arrives in Albertville, the first of the three Alpine stops.TAKING SLOW TRAVEL TO NEW HEIGHTS
Next year, eight new Suites will elevate the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express’ existing accommodation with four different designs reflecting the ever-changing European landscape: La Campagne (the countryside), Les Montagnes (the mountains), Les Lacs (the lakes) and La Forêt (the forest). The new Suites are the result of an attentive and respectful restoration of two original carriages by French craftsmen and designers, who have reimagined the spaces whilst maintaining their golden era of travel look and feel. Each Suite will immerse guests in diverse scenery through vivid colours, plush fabrics, intricate textures and furnishings channeling famed Art Deco designers, such as Majorelle, Dufrene, Leleu, Rousseau, Prou and Lalique. Offering an experience that bridges the train’s iconic history and modern comfort, the new Suites add to the charm of the historic cabins a private marble ensuite bathroom, and a more spacious lounging area by day, converted to either double or twin beds by night.ADVERTISEMENTGuided by the pioneering spirit that placed it at the forefront of luxury rail travel since 1982, the Venice SimplonOrient-Express will run four new French Alps journeys in the second half of December 2023: from Paris to the French Alps on 15th and 21st December 2023, and from the French Alps to Paris on the 16th and 22nd of December 2023. The new routes amplify the current wintertime offering, which already features trips to Vienna, Florence, Paris and Venice, while strengthening the presence of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in France.
An overnight stay in Historic Cabin starts at £3,785pp while in the new Suites it starts at £7,300pp. Rates include dinner, breakfast and brunch as well as all soft drinks and shared transfer to Gare De Lyon in Paris. Guests staying in the Grand Suites can also benefit from a private car transfer from Albertville, Moûtiers or Bourg-Saint-Maurice to their final destination (overnight stays start at £9,975pp). For further information or to book, please visit Belmond.com

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New research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reveals French capital Paris as the world’s most powerful city destination but predicts it will be overtaken by Beijing by 2032. The report, sponsored by Visa and researched in partnership with Oxford Economics, analysed key indicators such as Travel & Tourism’s contribution to GDP, employment and traveller spend.
COVID-19 had a devastating impact on Travel & Tourism and in particular major cities around the world as countries closed their borders in response to the pandemic.
As borders reopened, many leisure travellers swapped city visits for less-populated destinations such as coastal and rural destinations, but latest research from WTTC shows that city holidays are back and growing in popularity.
Paris takes the crown as the world’s most powerful city destination with a Travel & Tourism sector worth almost $36BN USD in 2022, in terms of direct GDP contribution to the city.
Over the next 10 years, WTTC predicts it will drop down to third place, although its value will rise to over $49BN.ADVERTISEMENTBeijing is currently the second biggest city destination in the world with a Travel & Tourism sector worth nearly $33BN. However, WTTC predicts it will leapfrog Paris within the next 10 years, growing to a staggering $77BN.
Often dubbed the theme park capital of the world, Orlando’s Travel & Tourism sector was valued at $31BN in 2022, but despite predictions suggesting it will grow by almost 50% to $45BN by 2032, it will drop down to become the fourth biggest city destination.
China’s national Travel & Tourism sector has seen phenomenal growth over the last decade as the country has invested in new hotels, transport infrastructure and new tourist destinations.
This investment in Travel & Tourism sees Shanghai’s sector, worth nearly $30BN last year, predicted to more than double to almost $71BN by 2032, to become the world’s second most powerful city destination.
Las Vegas is the only city in the top 10 list which holds its place, firmly staying as the 5th largest city destination.
Last year, Las Vegas’s Travel & Tourism sector was worth nearly $23BN and is predicted to grow to over $36BN by 2032.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Major cities such as London, Paris and New York will remain global powerhouses but over the next few years, Beijing, Shanghai, and Macau will be moving up the list of top city destinations.
“Tourists will always have favourite cities that they will return to, but as other countries prioritise Travel & Tourism, we are going to see new and emerging destinations challenging the traditional favourites.”
Other cities outside the top 10 showing promising growth as emerging destinations include the Polish capital of Warsaw which has seen a 14.4% increase in its GDP contribution in 2022 versus 2019.
Sanya, the Chinese coastal city which has become a popular tourist destination in recent years as holidaymakers visited its stunning beaches witnessed a 10.2% growth during that same period. Its Travel & Tourism sector represents an incredible 43.6% of the city’s total economy. Macau’s Travel & Tourism sector represents 40.4% of the city’s total economy.
Orlando and Las Vegas are the only cities currently in the top 10 most powerful city destinations based on the sector’s value, which rely heavily on the sector as a share of the city’s overall economy.
Travel & Tourism represents 20.4% of Orlando’s economy and 16.3% of Las Vegas’s economy. In comparison, Paris’s Travel & Tourism sector represents just 3.5% of the capital’s economy in 2022.
•  The top five cities with biggest international travellers spend in 2022 were:
1.  Dubai – $29.42BN2.  Doha – $16.79BN3.  London – $16.07BN4.  Macau – $15.58BN5.  Amsterdam – $13.59BN6.  Istanbul – $13.13BN7.  Barcelona – $12.73BN8.  New York – $12.45BN9.  Singapore – $10.97BN10.  Paris – $9.76BN
•  In 2032, WTTC predicts the top five cities with biggest international traveller spend will change to be:
1.  Hong Kong – $52.06BN (up 38 places from 2022)2.  Macau – $43.14BN (up two places from 2022)3.  Dubai – $42.98BN (down two places from 2022)4.  Singapore – $37.43BN (up five places from 2022)5.  Bangkok – $33.45BN (up seven places from 2022)6.  Doha – $31.63BN (down four places from 2022)7.  Tokyo $25.44BN (up 30 places from 2022)8.  New York $21.73BN (no change from 2022)9.  Amsterdam $21.53BN (down four places from 2022)10.  Shanghai – $21.3BN (up 11 places from 2022)
Over the next decade, Travel & Tourism is on track to become a key driver of economic growth once again, with faster GDP growth than other sectors, generating 126 million new jobs around the world.

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VisitBritain is set to welcome more than 120 international travel trade buyers for a series of educational visits across Britain.The educational trade visits, underway from 28 January, are a mix of three-to-five-day itineraries to destinations across England, Wales and Scotland, showcasing the latest tourism products to international buyers and that Britain is packed full of fresh and exciting experiences for visitors to come and enjoy right now.
Buyers from 16 international markets are taking part in the educational visits including representatives from the UK’s three largest inbound markets the USA, France and Germany, as well as from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, India, Italy, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries, South Korea and Spain.
VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates said:
“We are delighted to be showcasing Britain to international buyers to drive bookings. From the beauty of our coast and countryside to the exciting variety of our cultural attractions to our world class dining and accommodation, buyers will experience first-hand the warmest of British welcomes and the outstanding and varied tourism products on offer.
“Working with the international travel trade is crucial to ensuring they are ready to sell Britain, as well as to broadening travel itineraries, encouraging visitors to explore further and stay longer.”ADVERTISEMENTVisitBritain’s in-country teams have worked in partnership with destination management organisations and destination management companies across England, Scotland and Wales to develop itineraries tailored to each market.All itineraries include London before the buyers embark on visits to destinations including Manchester, Liverpool and the Lake District; Bath, Bristol and the Cotswolds; Newcastle and Northumberland; Cambridge; Somerset; the West Midlands; the English Wine Region; Edinburgh; Cardiff and other regions of Scotland and Wales.
The hosted visits are part of the national tourism agency’s ‘Showcase Britain’ event, which gets underway with a networking event for the international buyers and travel media at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Thursday 26 January. The buyers will be officially welcomed by VisitBritain Chairman Nick de Bois CBE followed by updates from the agency’s trade teams as well as from London & Partners, VisitScotland and Visit Wales on the latest products, experiences, hospitality and accommodation.
Before heading off on their educational tours, the buyers will also attend the ‘Britain & Ireland Marketplace’ (BIM) on 27 January. There they will have a full day of appointments with tourism suppliers and destinations from across Britain.
The educational visits come as VisitBritain also gears up to host its flagship global trade event ExploreGB Virtual from 27 February to 2 March.
VisitBritain is also set to launch a new GREAT Britain marketing campaign in February to drive bookings, inviting visitors to ‘See Things Differently’, showcasing Britain as a dynamic, exciting and inclusive destination. The campaign is also capturing major events in 2023 including the Coronation of King Charles III in May, with an additional Bank Holiday announced, and Liverpool hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, on behalf of Ukraine, also in May, timely and valuable opportunities to promote Britain’s welcome, creativity and ability to host events of the highest calibre.VisitBritain’s latest forecast for 2023 estimates 35.1 million inbound visits to the UK, 86% of 2019 levels and 18% higher than levels seen in 2022. Its forecast for overseas visitor spending in the UK this year is £29.5 billion, a projected record high for annual inbound visitor spend.

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Discover Dominica, the tourism office for the island of Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-EEK-a), reports a significant increase in 2022 tourism arrival numbers, projecting even stronger growth in 2023.The destination welcomed 60,704 visitors in 2022 compared to 14,888 in 2021, an increase of more than 308%. The uptick can be attributed to a few key factors including an increase post-pandemic travel demand, relaxed COVID protocols, the island’s first direct flight from the U.S., as well as being recognized by well-known travel sources as a top Caribbean destination.
“We are thrilled to see the comeback of travel,” said Discover Dominica CEO Colin Piper. “We are still working toward recovery as we are not yet back to pre-pandemic numbers, but we are in a good place as we begin 2023 with strong bookings throughout the winter travel season. In 2023, Dominica remains focused on its sustainability efforts, which is becoming an increasingly popular selling point of the island.”
Overall, 2022 proved to be a momentous year for Dominica. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic when demand for new travel experiences and outdoor adventures were at an all-time high, the island had much to celebrate. From the opening of Coulibri Ridge, an ultra-luxury resort that is completely self-sufficient, to the record numbers of attendees at the first in-person World Creole Music Festival since the pandemic, the island saw a tremendous amount of interest among repeat and new visitors to the island.
For the first time, Dominica received recognition from some of the world’s leading travel publications as a coveted tourism destination in the region. The Nature Island was recognized by Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards as the number one island on the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas list for 2022. Additionally, Lonely Planet named Dominica as one of the top destinations to unwind in its ‘Best in Travel’ list for 2023, marking another first for the island. Forbes also featured Dominica as one of the top destinations to travel to in 2023.
December 2022 marked the first anniversary of American Airlines’ nonstop service to Dominica from Miami International Airport. The first commercial service to the island from the U.S, the addition of the flight has made the island more accessible than ever before. As of November 2022, the American Airlines’ service contributed nearly 33% of all carrier contributions to the island. Service will continue throughout 2023 with changes to the schedule and frequency.ADVERTISEMENT“The addition of the American Airlines flight had a significant impact on our tourism arrivals. It’s never been faster or easier for U.S. visitors to travel to and from Dominica. It’s also a valuable addition for the diaspora community,” continued Piper. “We appreciate American Airlines continued support and look forward to seeing more U.S. travelers exploring our beautiful island this year.”
For more information on Dominica, visit Dominica’s official website at www.discoverdominica.com, explore the destination’s YouTube Page and follow Dominica on Instagram and Facebook.

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A new wealth fund in Saudi Arabia looks to fuel growth in entertainment, tourism and events, including horse racing and car racing tracks. Events Investment Fund (EIF) was announced by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, who is also chairman of the fund.EIF will conceptualise, finance and oversee development of more than 35 venues by 2030. The aim of EIF is to position the Kingdom as the global hub in these various event sectors, to provide sustainable infrastructure for the delivery of an ambitious national events calendar and to create sustainable financial returns to support the Kingdom’s economic diversification efforts.
EIF assets include indoor arenas, art galleries, theaters and conference centers, horse-racing tracks, auto racing tracks and other event facilities across the Kingdom, with the aim of delivering its first asset by 2023.
The Events Investment Fund is committed to attracting foreign investment and maintaining financial standards aimed at strengthening its investment portfolio and achieving sustainable growth in both returns and assets. EIF is also contributing to Vision 2030 with respect to diversifying the economy and increasing its share of non-oil GDP, as well as supporting the contribution of the tourism sector to annual GDP, from its current rate of three percent to more than 10 per cent by 2030.
The fund will focus on developing and increasing direct foreign investment opportunities for a GDP impact of SAR28 billion by 2045.
Source: Hotelier Middle eastADVERTISEMENT

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Yas Island, Abu Dhabi’s premier leisure and entertainment hub, is kicking off 2023 with a remarkable early bird offer for its Stay and Play packages, delivering a truly superb holiday experience.
Yas Island and its world-class theme parks, experiences and attractions were recognised with seven awards in the globally renowned World Travel Awards in 2022. In addition to scooping the accolade of ‘World’s Leading Theme Park Destination 2022’, Yas Island received the flagship ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourism Development’ award for the fourth consecutive year, testament to the global reputation Yas Island as the leisure and entertainment hub. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi was yet again named the ‘World’s Leading Theme Park 2022’ and ‘Middle East’s Leading Theme Park 2022’, while the Emirati-themed waterpark Yas Waterworld, was recognised as ‘Middle East’s Leading Water Park 2022’ and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, was named as ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2022’.  Across the awards, the record-breaking adventure hub CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi, boasting the world’s largest indoor flight chamber and the region’s tallest indoor climbing wall, was awarded the accolade of ‘Middle East’s Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction 2022’.

Holidaymakers can book the package between 9 – 30 January 2023 for stays until 31 March 2023* and enjoy access to up to three award-winning theme parks, complimentary room upgrades as well as lucrative dining and spa discounts.Available to book via www.yasisland.com, guests can choose from the Island’s leading hotels at Yas Plaza – Crowne Plaza Yas Island Abu Dhabi, Yas Island Rotana, Centro Yas Island by Rotana, Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island and Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island. Guests who book a minimum stay of two nights will receive two days of unlimited theme park access to any of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi starting at AED 707 per adult per night for two adults on sharing basis.
ADVERTISEMENTIn addition, guests will receive a complimentary room upgrade to the next room category, a 15% dining discount on all restaurants across Yas Plaza Hotels and 15% spa discounts on selected treatments.Home to magical adventures and awe-inspiring entertainment, as well as incredible theme parks and attractions, outstanding motorsports, an award-winning golf venue and world-class hospitality services, Yas Island is a destination like nowhere else.For more information about Yas Island or to book a stay, visit www.yasisland.com

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The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced that 2022 recorded a provisional full-year visitor arrivals of 600,000. Since the Government gradually lifted various pandemic-related inbound control measures, visitor arrivals have picked up gradually in the past few months, with most visitors coming from the Mainland and Southeast Asian markets.
In addition to overnight stopover and family reunion, business travellers also start to increase in number. HKTB expected that Hong Kong’s tourism will be revived progressively, and has gradually stepped up promotions in advance in selected visitor source markets to broadcast the positive message that Hong Kong is welcoming back visitors. HKTB will also launch a large-scale global promotion in phase (see appendix) to drive the swift revival of the tourism industry jointly with the travel trade.

HKTB to Launch Large-scale Global Promotions Next Month in Phases with Three Strategies to Welcome Visitors
• Hong Kong’s doors of tourism has been opened. Recent figures reveal that daily visitor arrivals to Hong Kong has increased from between 2,400 and 4,500 per day during the Amber Code period to over 10,000 per day after the lifting of Amber Code.• The major sources of visitors are, in order, the Mainland, the Philippines, Taiwan, the United States and Thailand.• In terms of purpose of visit, apart from overnight stopovers, family visits, business trips or essential travels, there was also a slight increase in leisure arrivals since the lifting of all COVID-19 inbound control measures at the end of December.ADVERTISEMENTTourism expected to take time to recover• HKTB expects that Hong Kong’s tourism will gradually recover , subject to the following factors:1. Airline capacity has not yet been fully restored2. Shortage of manpower in the tourism and related sectors3. Uncertain economic outlook and concerns arising from current exchange rates4. Some markets still impose inbound control measures on visitors arriving from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, which travellers may find inconvenient when returning home
• In light of the latest situation, it is expected that visitors mainly come from certain markets, including the Mainland and Southeast Asia.• Therefore, HKTB will timely step up its promotion efforts in phases according to the actual situation of individual markets to ensure that the resources are well spent and maximise the effectiveness of promotional initiatives.Continuous Promotions of Hong Kong’s Appeal
• The HKTB has stepped up publicity in some markets in advance to spread the message that all sectors in Hong Kong are welcoming back visitors.1. HKTB has invited travel trade, media, KOLs and Hong Kong Super Fans from around the world to enjoy the Hong Kong experience first-hand (Seeing is Believing).2. HKTB has organised a number of mega familiarisation trip for overseas travel trade since mid-December, hosting about 100 travel trade representatives from Southeast Asia, South Korea and other markets with more than 250 business appointments lined up with the local travel trade.3. HKTB has lined up about 1,300 travel trade appointments, connecting 840 local travel trade members with buyers and trade representatives from 140 regions/ markets.4. HKTB has invited K-pop sensation Jeong Ji-hoon (Rain) and arranged attraction visits for internationally renowned DJ Alan Walker to explore Hong Kong.5. HKTB has been promoting Hong Kong’s arts and culture, sports, culinary and festive events and experience continuously to attract global media reports and strengthen positive exposure. Large-scale global promotions to launch next month• HKTB will launch large-scale global promotions next month with three strategies to drive tourismrevival:

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